


Polaroid

by Quagswagging



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Apologies, Break Up, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Photography, Snowball Fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23232373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quagswagging/pseuds/Quagswagging
Summary: Valtteri loves Max, and Max loves Valtteri.But then they split over a stupid argument, and all Valtteri is left with are the polaroids of their relationship.
Relationships: Charles Leclerc & Max Verstappen & Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc/Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Räikkönen/Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas & Kimi Räikkönen & Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas/Max Verstappen
Comments: 6
Kudos: 69





	Polaroid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [milklaren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/milklaren/gifts).



> This was a prompt of literal months ago after a discussion that started about nudes and ended with this angsty mess.  
> (Gifted to sendoffire since part of the idea was hers and she is the bestesttt)  
> Still; enjoy!

Valtteri inspected the newly bought camera on the table in front of him, a small smile on his face as he ran his fingers over the small buttons. He heard the door to the apartment open and someone wandering inside.

"Hi kulta." Valtteri called out. A pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind, a chin nestling in the crook of his neck.

"Hi babe." Max greeted, pressing a kiss to Valtteri's temple. Valtteri arched his head back to press a kiss to Max's lips, giving him a small smile. Max turned his attention to the camera.

"New toy?" He asked with a teasing grin. Valtteri chuckled and nodded.

"It's a Polaroid camera." He said. Max hummed in surprise. 

"That's fun." He said. "What are you going to use it for?" He added. Valtteri turned to him with a smug smile on his face.

"I know a few ways. He purred.

~~~

Valtteri held the camera to his face, smiling as he found Max through the viewfinder. Max was already mostly undressed, sprawled on his back. His chest was heaving already, the thin white covers pooling around his waist while some gentle blue hickeys bloomed on his hip bones.

Valtteri took the photo. Max hummed in surprise as the camera whirred and a photo pushed out of the top. Valtteri daintily took the paper between his fingers and placed it in the drawer of the nightstand, the darkness helping it develop. Max pushed himself up on his elbows.

"What are you going to do with that?" He asked, seeming nervous. Valtteri leaned in to press a kiss to Max's lips.

"Nothing. It just gives me a chance to take pictures of you. Without fearing they might leak." He whispered. Max eyed him carefully for a moment, but then hummed.

"Okay." He whispered softly, a blush high on his cheeks. Valtteri smiled and pressed a lingering, grateful kiss to Max's lips. He pushed back onto his knees while Max rolled on his stomach, arching his back to push his ass up. Valtteri lifted the camera again, snapping a shot of Max glancing over his shoulder, lips parting and wanting.

"You're so beautiful." Valtteri sighed. Max let out a soft noise at the praise, rolling back onto his back and reaching for Valtteri.

"Hurry." He whispered. Valtteri smiled, placing a hand on Max's hip and taking another photo.

"Enough." Max decided, putting the camera on the nightstand. Valtteri let the Dutchman draw him into his arms, pressing their bodies together.

"I love you." Max gasped against Valtteri's lips. Valtteri hummed.

"I love you too." 

~~~~

A few days later, Valtteri found Max looking through the collection of Polaroids. Valtteri sat down behind Max on the bed, nuzzling his cheek as he looked at the photos too.

"They really are beautiful." Max said, tracing a photo where it was just the curve of Max's hip and side on the photo, Valtteri's hand on the pale skin. Valtteri hummed, picking up one Max had taken of him, or well, his throat and chest.

"You've got an eye for it." He told Max, who smiled and cuddled back into the Finn a bit more. He reached to take the camera now, and held it up facing them. 

"Smile." He said, grinning as Valtteri's arms wrapped tightly around him and the Finn smiled lightly too. The flash of the camera was bright and both men groaned a little. Max quickly put the photo in the nightstand drawer to develop.

Max turned and moved to straddle Valtteri's legs. Valtteri hummed and smiled, resting his hands on his hips. 

"You are gorgeous." Valtteri purred. Max blushed slightly, smiling as he kissed Val deeply. 

"I'm lucky to have you."

~~~~

But nothing good in Valtteri's life seemed to last.

The Finn sat silently on the living room floor, opposite the burning hearth. A collection of polaroids laid on the floor next to him, and a few in his hands. 

Valtteri cried, bringing a shaky hand up to his face.

He hadn't meant to fight with Max, hadn't meant for Max to leave.

God he was stupid.

It had been a silly disagreement, Max joking about going public with their relationship and Valtteri replying a bit too quickly that that was a silly idea. Max had taken it personal and it had ended in a screaming match, Max accusing him of not caring and Valtteri in return snapping that he did not want Max when he was so childish.

And Max had packed his stuff and left, leaving Valtteri alone.

That had been a week ago and Max had made it clear he did not wish to come back.

And so Valtteri did not know what to do except getting rid of what reminded him of Max in the house. Most of Max's stuff had moved to some boxes near the front door, but the polaroids Valtteri did not want to give to him.

But neither did he want to keep them.

Valtteri took the first stack of polaroids and flicked them into the fire, letting out a shaky sob as the edges curled and burned - fond memories burning away with them.

"I'm sorry." Valtteri sobbed into thin air, pushing the second stack into the flames too. He gasped when he saw the picture on top of the stack and reached to pick it up before the flames could touch it. 

The picture of Max snuggled back against his chest, both of them with content smiles on their faces.

This was more important than any artful shot of Max's body. It showed the love they had shared, the comfort, the understanding.

Valtteri pulled his knees up to his chest and cried, the picture cradled to his chest.

He wasn't sure how much time passed before the front door was pushed open.

"M-max?" Valtteri croaked out, looking up with bleary eyes.

"No honey." The voice was distinctly Sebastian's, and him and Kimi came into the room. Sebastian knelt down next to Valtteri, pulling him in a gentle hold, while Kimi put out the fire.

"I didn't mean for any of this. I didn't want him to go." Valtteri sobbed into Seb's shoulder. Seb gently stroked his hair.

"You can still make this right, he will forgive you." He whispered. Valtteri shook his head.

"He doesn't want to come back." He whispered tiredly. Sebastian continued to gently stroke his hair, smiling sadly up at Kini as Valtteri fell asleep against him from pure exhaustion.

Kimi carried the younger Finn to the sofa, laying him down and placing a soft woolen blanket over him.

"I never saw him so dejected before." Kimi mumbled. Sebastian sighed.

"He truly loves Max." He said. "They should still be together." He added. Kimi hummed, gently rubbing his hand over Valtteri's arm as the man frowned in his sleep.

"It has to end well for them. It just has to." Kimi said stubbornly. Sebastian leaned in and kissed the top of Kimi's head.

"I hope so too."

~~~

Max had fled to Daniel after the fight, not knowing where else to go. Daniel had seemed surprised when Max showed up on his doorstep, but pulled him inside when Max had sobbed out what had happened. 

Charles was staying with the Aussie and seemed ready to grump at Max, until he saw how heartbroken he looked. The Monégasque's eyes widened and he shuffled off to get some water for the Dutchman. 

Daniel meanwhile just held Max as the young man sobbed into his shoulder. He somehow managed to get Max on the sofa, the young man practically sprawled over his lap as he continued to cry.

"I don't know what to do." Max whispered brokenly. "I can't lose him, I-I love him…" he whispered. Charles returned and gently helped him drink some water, their usual rivalry momentarily forgotten. The water helped Max calm down, his sentences becoming more coherent. 

"I can't lose him." He repeated. Charles gently carded his fingers through Max's hair.

"It will be okay." He soothed gently. Max sniffled and shook his head.

"I don't think so."

That night, and the few after, Max slept in between Daniel and Charles, the two fellow drivers cuddling him close to comfort him. But Max barely slept, only thinking about Valtteri, and how he had let it all go to shit.

~~

Two weeks after the fight, Charles and Daniel had convinced Max to pick up his last belongings from Valtteri's apartment. The Dutchman seemed afraid of running into Valtteri, but Charles had told Daniel quietly that that would be the best thing that could happen. 

Daniel drove Max over, the Dutchman awfully quiet and rigid next to him. Daniel reached to take his hand and smiled.

"Are you okay little lion? He asked softly. Max glared at the nickname but then sighed.

"What if he's home?" He muttered. "I don't think I can bear seeing him." he whispered. Daniel squeezed his palm.

“Maybe it would be good.” Daniel comforted.”Valtteri must miss you, and you miss him too.” he said. Max’s jaw set.

“He doesn’t miss me.” he answered, and Daniel knew it was useless to try and change his mind. 

~~~~

When Max slipped into the apartment, he found Valtteri at the kitchen table.

“Hi.” he greeted hoarsely, not meeting Valtteri’s eyes. Valtteri stayed focussed on his coffee.

“Hi.” Valtteri answered in a mumble. Max awkwardly moved past him. His eyes fell on the fireplace, and the remnants within the burned wood.

The pictures. The memories of them together. All gone. 

“I’ll just get my stuff and go.” Max whispered, fleeing to the bedroom. He tried desperately not to cry as he pulled a last few sweaters put of the closet, telling himself that this was for the best.

He stilled suddenly when he spotted a little white square laying on the nightstand, one corner seeming burned. He dropped all the stuff he was holding and moved over to take the photo into his hands.

Valtteri came jogging into the room, clearly having heard the commotion, and went rigid when he saw what Max was holding.

"You burned all the photos. But you kept this one." Max sniffled, the polaroid of the two of them together cradled in his hands. Valtteri swallowed thickly.

"I couldn't get rid of it." Valtteri whispered, reaching out to touch the photo. "I wanted to remember how happy we were. How in love." Valtteri sighed and turned away. "I'm sorry." He whispered, before heading back to the kitchen. 

"I don't want to leave you." Max sobbed out suddenly, eyes still focused on the picture. "I-I love you Valtteri. Please…" he whispered. Valtteri turned to look at him. 

"I hurt you." He answered. Max nodded.

"Yeah you did. But I hurt you too. And we might fight, but it doesn't change my feelings." He whispered. Valtteri stepped closer, placing a hand on Max's cheek.

"I don't want you to leave." He then said, and Max smiled shakily.

"Then I'm not going." He sobbed out, falling into Valtteri's arms. Valtteri held him tightly, whispering apologies in all the languages he knew.

"I love you, I love you." Max whispered against his shoulder, and then against his lips in a needy, teary kiss. 

The sank to the floor, both still breathing heavily as they curled close to each other. When Max wiggled around slightly, Valtteri panicked and clutched him to his chest even more tightly. Max shushed him gently, kissing his cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere."

And that polaroid, the one of the two of them together, got a prominent place not in, but above the fireplace, surrounded by many more photos of their happy life together.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: bwoahtastic


End file.
